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 Replies: 10 / Views: 2,261 |
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New Member
Greece
16 Posts |
Hello Coin Community Long time follower, first time poster! I started this hobby by noodling all the circulated coins and now it has got me hooked and branching out beyond the loose change *YEEEEK*  I have been going back to my grass roots (I'm Greek background) and collecting some Greek coins. I started with modern Drachmas but lately I find myself continually looking at Ancient coinage and wish to make my first purchase. My only concern is, I am definitely going into unknown territory! Can I please get some assistance on this attached coin? This will be my most expensive purchase as I usually spend the pocket change so I have been researching alot. 1. I am reading a lot about fake coins etc. This dealer is reputable so I there should be some trust there but I still would like to know what I am supposed to look for? 2. Porosity. From the looks of it this coin has it? Is this as bad as a coin being 'cleaned'. Is it worth nothing? Does it continue to be damaged? What should I be looking out for? 3. What would grade would you rate this coin? I find ancient coins incredibly difficult and don't know where to start. 4. People talk about 'bubbling vs. corroding etc.' What does all this actually mean? Thank you all for your time. I now have an account, so i'll probably find myself posting and joining into the conversations time to time! Regards DLM   |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
 to the community The Athens tetradrachm is one of the most copied coins on the market, that being said the coin pictured here appears to be genuine in my opinion. It does as some issued that will effect the value, being porous and struck slightly off flan. The chin on Athena also looks like it might have been tooled a little. I would grade it at VF+. Here are some tets on save at Vcoins to give you an idea of cost ad grade. https://www.vcoins.com/en/Search.as...signed=False |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Almost all ancient coins need cleaning after recovery from ground burial. It may be very hard to trace the provenance of this coin, so you have to rely on the dealer's reputation. Keep all of the dealer's documentation so that if you need to re sell this coin at sometime in the future, you can at least provide some provenance history to go with it. That provenance will trace back to the dealer's reputation. A future buyer will need to know this. I have also done some extensive reading on how to manufacture fake coins. One good reference is : Numismatic Forgery by Charles M Larson. (ISBN O-9742371-1-2-4) This book has been endorsed (amongst other numusmatic luninaries), by Ken Bressett, past President of the ANA. It gives good information on how top quality numismatic forgeries are made, and how to identify them by their telltale methods of manufacture. If there is any doubt in your mind, have it XRF tested. The silver for this coin should have come from the ancient Laurium silver mine near Athens. The trace elements in the silver should approximate those for other Athenian silver tetradrachms for this period. A museum should be able to provide you with good reference for trace elements in the silver that was used in the minting of these coins. Edited by sel_69l
04/29/2020 10:17 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3443 Posts |
As a rule I try not to opine too much about silver
(Suffice to say I generally avoid it !)
But I do like to give 'general' advice to beginners
It's always very intriguing to see the really good stuff being offered and want to join in all the fun and games !
Athenian tetradrachms are iconic and represent a connection to a really glorious era of history
They also command hefty prices in better condition
I have collected ancients for 45 years and I have yet to pull the trigger and commit my resources
The one you show does have issues that would make me hesitate
Surface quality etc
And when spending good money (as in marriage) it's really best to be sure about what you are committing too
You buy it and it's yours and unlike an ounce of gold the market is a bit less forgiving
As a beginner you may be unaware that some of the most desirable "Greek" coins don't even come from Greece itself !
Greek coins from Sicily are the cats meow
Syracuse in particular !
That being said .......
Beginners should give serious consideration to playing in the shallow end of the pool for a period before making the dive into the deep end
In order to gain some confidence
Very nice drachms of Alexander the Great can still be had for $100 and come from mints all across his vast empire
If it's size that impresses the tetradrachms of Alex are generally reasonable in price
My personal favorites are the gigantic bronzes that the Great General Ptolemy and his successors issued in Egypt ! 30 - 45 - 70 - 90 grams and up !
The medium sizes being the most affordable and in very nice quality too !
If it's Greek history you are looking for the field is rich
Let's not leave out that really great guy Pyrrhus !
He issued coins too !
My advice would be to start smaller and work your way up towards the ultimate goal
Always keep in mind too ......
When faced with a choice between different options
You will never ever look back on it and say
"I should have bought the crumby looking one"
Buy a great Alex !
You won't regret it
But if you do ......
High quality can always be traded or sold
Low quality
Not so much
Edited by FVRIVS RVFVS
04/30/2020 06:59 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1554 Posts |
An enormous hoard of Athenian tetradrachms has come to market in the last couple of years, bringing prices down significantly. Eventually, the new coins will be absorbed and prices should go back up. Being selective and buying the finest example you can reasonably afford now will pay dividends in the long run. The coin you are considering, not so much. If you scroll through this page, you can get an idea of what collectors are looking for and value. In general, you want a coin with the design as complete as possible (including Athena's crest), well-centered and fully struck with nice surfaces. https://cNGCoins.com/Lots.aspx?IS_A...UM=20&PAGE=1Edited by Kushanshah
04/30/2020 08:36 am
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Moderator
United States
188770 Posts |
to the Community! |
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Valued Member
Bulgaria
141 Posts |
I think - this is cast coin
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3098 Posts |
Kushanshah,
Do you know how large the hoard was and where it was found?
Paul Bulgerin
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New Member
 Greece
16 Posts |
Thanks for your honest opinion guys.
I appreciate your comments regarding value and buying the 'best condition' of a coin but I am very much like what I see and have a bit of heritage collector rather than an 'investor' (If this makes sense?)
What would you say is a decent price for such a coin on the lower end of the spectrum (usd)? Something that you're not getting ripped off but it's not going to lose value either
Thanks again
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
701 Posts |
@Paul Bulgerin, unfortunately no information as to the size nor location has been published. They hit the market last year and are still being sold off as we speak. It has enabled many collectors to grab a reduced price decent example for £200-£300, the more desirable still fetch high prices though. @DLM, http://www.romanumismatics have a nice selection on offer right now, plenty for all budget levels. Do a little bit of trawling on various auction sites to give yourself an idea of prices before committing to anything. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3443 Posts |
DLM
The main factor is that this particular one you have posted has some 'issues'
To me it looks like some parts of the surfaces have been abraded and as such I would personally not buy it unless it had a ridiculously low ask
But that's because I don't like ancients that have been 'messed' with or otherwise obviously tampered with to remove imperfections
Many other serious collectors would also simply take a pass on it
So the answer to your question would be low end $25 (me)
High end ........
A few hundred (someone with a fat wallet !)
But once you own it you own it
Wondering about what it's worth becomes somewhat academic
Since it's hard to compare with the other 'unimproved' examples
Keep looking for a few months
These aren't that hard to find at auction from reputable sources
You never know
Many people are going broke right now
You might pick up a real "gem" in the strange pandemic times we live in !
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Replies: 10 / Views: 2,261 |
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Posted 04/29/2020 10:04 pm
